Beijing: China joined Russia on Friday to oppose the expansion of NATO amid heightening tensions with Ukraine, while Moscow backed Beijing in denouncing the formation of blocs in the Asia-Pacific region, in a veiled reference to the Quad alliance as they deepened their strategic alliance to push back mounting pressure from the US and allies.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during their summit on the sidelines of the Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony boycotted by diplomats from the US and allies over allegations of violation of human rights against Uygur Muslims in Xinjiang scaled up the emerging alliance between the two countries to a new level. Putin was the star leader at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, which was attended by 32 heads of governments and international organisations, including Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
India announced a diplomatic boycott of the Games after China fielded Qi Fabao, the regimental commander of the People's Liberation Army, who was injured during the 2020 military face-off with Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, as a torchbearer for the event's Torch Relay.
After their summit, Xi and Putin issued a lengthy joint statement in which they expressed their firm opposition to the unilateral approach by the US to resolve the global disputes.
Some forces representing a minority on the world stage continue to advocate unilateral approaches to resolving international problems and resort to military policy, it read.
China firmly backed Russia's opposition to the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) by including Ukraine which was stated to be the reason for Moscow to deploy over a lakh of troops along the Ukraine border, setting off military tensions with the US and European Union countries.
The joint statement said the sides oppose further enlargement of NATO and call on the North Atlantic alliance to abandon its ideologised Cold War approaches, to respect the sovereignty, security and interests of other countries.
Similarly, Russia backed China in opposing the formation of closed bloc structures and opposing camps in the Asia-Pacific region , without directly referring to the Quad alliance involving the US, India, Japan and Australia.
The sides stand against the formation of closed bloc structures and opposing camps in the Asia-Pacific region and remain highly vigilant about the negative impact of the United States' Indo-Pacific strategy on peace and stability in the region , the joint statement said.
The US, India and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's aggressive military manoeuvring in the resource-rich region which is also crucial for global trade and shipping.
The US maintains it will support its regional allies in the defence of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. America has been periodically sending its naval and air patrols through the South China Sea, challenging China's claims of sovereignty over the area and also asserting the freedom of navigation.
Putin told Xi that Russia had prepared a new deal to supply China with more gas. Russia, a major hydrocarbon exporter and already Beijing's No 3 gas supplier, has been strengthening ties with China, the world's biggest energy consumer.
"Our oilmen have prepared very good new solutions on hydrocarbon supplies to the People's Republic of China," Putin said in a meeting with Xi to discuss closer cooperation.